Courthouse Road construction impact on local stores

The ride along Courthouse Road in Gulfport has been a little bumpier than usual these past seven months as construction continues for an improvement project in the area. News 25 checked in with businesses situated along the busy Gulfport road to see if the construction project has affected their bottom line.
Shoppers of all sizes stop by Riley’s Children Apparel Store off Courthouse Road in Gulfport, searching for unique clothing, shoes, and gifts for children. Owner Kim Riley was concerned at first when construction on the Courthouse Road Project began seven months ago, but she says those fears have been laid to rest. “I don’t feel like it has affected us much at all. We have had one person that I can remember that has said something negative. Everyone else is looking forward to the positive.”
Next door, Ferrell Alman has been selling men’s and women’s outdoor clothing since 1983. He says the orange cones and construction work on Courthouse Road have not deterred his customers from shopping either. In fact, Alman believes the project is a good long term investment. “We don’t look at it as construction. We look at it as an improvement. To make money you got to spend money and that’s what they’re doing out there on Courthouse Road so that it will lead to better business for all of us. It will just make it look a lot nicer with the boulevard and the landscaping with everything that they are going to be doing. It’s going to be a nice place to come to.”
Many business owners are already planning the next steps to keep improving Courthouse Road even when construction is finished. “All the merchants and businesses on Courthouse Road are coming up with a plan to organize and have a merchants’ association after construction is over and all these improvements have been made. We want to be able to market Courthouse Road and come up with a marketing plan for the long term and we have got some great advertising ideas so look for Courthouse Road to have a whole new image and a whole new prospect for the future,” said Alman.